


the one

by halcyonskies



Series: OTP Challenge [17]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Eggs, Grumpy Dean, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Merman Castiel, Merman Dean, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Nesting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-10
Updated: 2016-08-10
Packaged: 2018-08-07 22:48:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7732813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halcyonskies/pseuds/halcyonskies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nests are important.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the one

**Author's Note:**

> 17th Challenge - Building A Home Together

“Cas, c’mon.”

The vivid pattern on Cas’ tail flashed briefly in front of Dean’s eyes before it disappeared into the greater blue of the sea. Dean nearly groaned out loud; normally he wouldn’t have had any trouble keeping up with his mate, but these last few days the eggs in his belly had really been slowing him up. 

It was just another reason to be upset with Cas – if they didn’t find someplace to nest soon, Dean would just have to lay their clutch out here in the open ocean. Needless to say, the chances of their hatchlings surviving in such a vulnerable position were little to none.

With a quiet sigh, Dean gave up on tailing Cas. He floated in place for a moment before drifting down to the sandy floor, curling his tail underneath him. They’d only been out for a few hours and already he felt like resting again, which was incredibly frustrating; back in his home shoal, he’d been among the quickest hunters. Now he was hard pressed just to keep Cas in his sights.

“Dean?”

Cas swam close, fins flared in alarm. When he saw Dean sitting in the sand, plainly annoyed but clearly unharmed, he seemed to relax, coming to rest beside Dean. It irritated him to see Cas looking so unaffected by their situation; here Dean was, exhausted and just about ready to pop out their clutch, and Cas acted like they had all the time in the world to find the  _ perfect  _ nest. Certainly Dean didn’t want to live somewhere lacking, but at this point he just wanted something secluded and comfortable so he could lay without worrying about the myriad predators just waiting in the wings for an easy meal.

Dean’s mate seemed to sense the razor edge he was skirting. Cautiously, he reached out an end-fin to swipe delicately along the yellow-red scales of Dean’s tail. 

“I’m sorry it’s taking so long,” Cas murmured earnestly. “I just want our nest to be–”

_ “Perfect,”  _ Dean spat, slapping Cas’ fin away with his own. “Cas, I could honestly care less. There was absolutely nothing wrong with the last two places we looked at.”

Unused to being on the receiving end of Dean’s hostility, Cas retreated a few lengths away, something suspiciously like a pout overtaking his features. He began drawing nonsense patterns in the sand; it was an action so reminiscent of their days as juveniles that Dean had to let go of his anger, allowing it to loosen and drift away like the current. 

“Sorry, Cas.” Hesitantly, he reached his arms out in invitation. Relief was quick and heady as Cas easily came to him, wrapping him up in limbs and tail. “Being out here makes me nervous. It’s not gonna be much longer before the eggs are laid, and we just can’t be out here when it happens.”

“I know. You’re right.” Cas nosed in along Dean’s neck, pressing those soft little kisses along Dean’s gills that never failed to turn his tail to jelly. “I have a good feeling about today, though. I think tonight’s the night we finally find our nest.”

“You think so, huh?”

“Yes, I do.”

//

Dean hated admitting it, but his mate turned out to be right. Only a few hours after that conversation, they came upon a formation of rocks and boulders rising up off the seafloor. Long minutes of careful examination revealed a narrow opening near the bottom; it took a bit of wriggling, but once they made it inside, Dean knew they’d finally found their nesting place.

“I swear, if you say you’re not ‘feeling’ this one–”

“No, no.” Cas spun in a slow circle, side-fins rippling with barely-contained excitement. “This is it, Dean. This is exactly what I was looking for.”

Dean knew he was right. The cave was well-hidden and spacious, with natural shelves lining the wall on one side. There was a corner that sat a little lower than the rest of the floor; once it was lined properly with seaweed, that indentation would be the perfect laying-area for their clutch.

“It’s a good nest, Cas.” Pride for his mate effectively wiped away any of his lingering displeasure, and Dean made sure Cas knew it by pulling him close. Not content with the peck Dean laid upon his cheek, Cas turned his face and claimed his lips properly, twining his tail around Dean’s. 

Now that he knew they had a safe place to harbor their eggs, Dean felt much better. After a short rest – during which Cas carefully mapped out the interior of the nest, taking note of all the things they could alter to their own tastes – they ventured back out to collect the necessary items to make the cave into a proper nest. Cas dragged in the little bag of tools the shoal had provided before they left, getting to work on widening the mouth of the cave, while Dean gathered smooth pebbles and armfuls of seaweed.

That night, Dean lay curled in the laying-area, listening to the muted noise of Cas chipping away at the cave’s entrance. He found it was difficult to sleep without Cas molded protectively to his back, end-fin spread over the swelling of Dean’s belly. 

“Cas?” he called out eventually, tired of trying. It only took a moment before Cas was there, looking down at Dean with concern.

“What is it, Dean?”

“Lay with me?”

Cas came willingly enough, setting aside his tools and curving around Dean’s body in the laying-area. Dean had lined it with pebbles worn by years of ocean currents, overlaying it with the seaweed he’d picked. Tomorrow he’d gather some more, or Cas would, if Dean’s body finally decided it was time to lay their clutch. 

The important thing was that they finally had a nest of their very own. No more wandering, no more uncertainties – just him and Cas, in the place they were making theirs.


End file.
